The Still Small Voice.

N a cottage on the coast of Cornwall, an old soldier lay dying. A comrade in many a hard fight sat by the bedside, reading from the Book of Life ; at the sick man's request he had chosen the 19th chapter of the First Book of Kings, and as he read the 11th and 12th verses, in which the Lord passes by before His discouraged servant, the dying man appeared deeply affected. "Ay, ay," he said; "so it came to me-so it came to me." Then for the space of some minutes the silence was only broken by the loud tick of the clock.

The old man was evidently recalling some joyous incident of the long ago, for a happy smile overspread his emaciated features.

At last, in, explanation to his wondering and silent friend, he broke the silence thus:

"You know, neighbour, I went to sea when but a lad of sixteen-father and mother were dead, there was none to care for me, and I was a bit wild. Well, I went a few voyages, then I came to my native village, and meant to settle down quiet-like. I married my Nellie, God bless her! and all went well for a year or two; then I took to poaching, and got into trouble with the Squire, so I joined the army. I met you then, and we were together on the 18th of June, 1815. You remember it as well as I dowhat's the use of telling it again? But somehow it all comes very vivid-like to me now. The earthquake and the fire. Ay, how it shook at the boom of the big guns, and when those fellows came up at the gallop.

"There were some good men in the regiment, and I meant to be good myself; but when the earth shook, and the sky was livid, and I grasped my rifle tighter and took aim, I did not feel near God, somehow; the musketry rattled, the cannon thundered, but I heard no voice of God; no, He

seemed very far off, high up in the sky-far too high for any of mine to reach Him.

cry

"Well, I came home broken in health, though but slightly wounded, and I reached my little cottage one evening; the sun had set, and it was nearly dark; but there was a light in the window, and I looked in: there sat my wife and our little one (she was but seven years old then), and I saw her kneel down at her mother's knee. The place seemed very solemn-like and very strange-strange, somehow, and yet familiar came the blessed words, 'Our Father which art in heaven.'

"Surely it was the still small voice speaking to me by my little child, and I bowed myself like the prophet, for I felt that God was in the place. Yes, old friend, I felt it then; felt that the eternal God was our Father; that, stricken with sin as I was, I could come in to His presence through the blood and merits of Jesus Christ.”

Again a smile of quiet happiness lit up the pallid face, and still it lingered, when the spirit was with God who gave it.

44

Lobest thou Me?"

OST Thou speak to me, Lord,

DE'en by that blessed word

Thou hast given Thy will to unfold ?—

When those three words I read,

Is that question indeed

To me, as to Peter of old ?a

Then, in mercy, I pray,

Grant, Lord, that I may

With truth the same answer return—

"Lord, Thou know'st that I love;

Thou all actions dost prove,

And e'en the heart's motives discern:1

John xxi. 16.

2 Romans iv. 23, 24. 3 John xxi. 17.

Thou dost know well my heart;

Thou the love didst impart;

Thou know'st that I love Thee, my Lord."
Oh, now, strengthen my love
With the aid from above

Thy Spirit alone can afford.1

Though my love be but small
(If I love Thee at all);

By Thy suff'ring-death on the tree-
Thy descent to the grave-

By Thy rising, to save,

I know, Lord, that Thou lovest me!*

Grant that my heart may burn

With true love, in return

For that which to me Thou hast shown.

Thee, Lord, fully to love

I must wait, till above

"I shall know e'en as I am known!" 3

But when I, by Thy grace,

Dwell in that blissful "place"

"Prepared" in the "mansions" above

(From this "vile body" freed),

I shall love Thee indeed,

And know the extent of Thy love!"

Till in that glorious land,

'Mongst Thy chosen I stand,

Beholding Thy presence in bliss;

May my faith, with keen eye,

Her Lord's coming descry,

While waiting a season in this."

Thou wilt come to us, Lord;

Thou hast given Thy word;

Thou hast said, "I will come again."

May my heart now reply,

With a true, earnest cry,

"E'en so, come, Lord Jesus!" Amen."

NOTHER year has passed away,

A And still we live that we may pray;

Salvation yet holds out her day
Wherein we may repent.

Full eighteen hundred years have fled
Since o'er the Bethlehem shepherds' head
Redemption's glorious light was shed,
And joyous tidings sent,

To tell mankind that Christmas morn
Jesus the Son of God was born,
To be of man the mock and scorn,
And all our sins to bear.

Upon the malefactor's cross
Suffering to redeem our loss;
And "Domine dirige nos"

This year should be our prayer.

We know not how to pray aright,
The daylight deepens into night;
All, all seems dark before our sight-
Oh! Jesu, hear and save.

This present year may be our last-
Lord Jesu, pardon all our past;

Oh! give us grace that we may cast
Our sorrows in the grave,

And rise to that all-glorious land
Where white-robed saints in glory stand,
A Christ-redeemed and holy band,
For ever round the throne:

For ever free from sighs and tears,
From holy dread and Christian fears
And trials, that with succeeding years
We know must be our own.

Last year is flown, now past recall,
Its chances gone for one and all,
And reckonings now of great and small
Stain God's dread judgment-book.

A new year's dawned for young and old-
How will we spend it? Some for gold;
Others for pleasures vain and cold—

Who will to heaven look?

E. S. P.

"I do my Endeavours;" or, Beginning at the Wrong End.

AVING Occasion one market-day to pass through the carriers' yard of the Falcon Inn, I was arrested by a woman's voice, repeating in half-angry tones words which have since stamped themselves on The words were these:

my memory.

"I do my endeavours! I do my endeavours! and what more can be expected of a body, I should like to know?"